Type(s) of Engineering:

When he was studying at the University of Regina, Gary Bosgoed had a really tough time with calculus, but he knew he really wanted "to be a part of building something," so he struggled through the math and graduated with a degree in Industrial Systems Engineering. Today, Gary's company, Bosgoed Project Consultants Ltd. (BPC), manages and designs all sorts of things including roads, bridges, offices, schools, hospitals, shopping malls, arenas, apartments and water systems.

BPC has offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. The company specializes in the management of projects in and for First Nations communities. Since founding the company in 1992, Gary has worked with over 100 First Nations. In that time, BPC has also provided employment to more than 400 Aboriginal people, "When we need to expand our project teams, the first thing we do is look for First Nations people with the skills we need."

Gary needs Aboriginal young people to fill the jobs his company has to offer, but sometimes they aren't easy to find. That was one of the reasons he helped to establish the Canadian Aboriginal Science and Engineering Association (CASEA). CASEA is a non-profit organization that seeks to increase the number of Aboriginal scientists and engineers in Canada. Gary also works with local youth in Regina to encourage them to pursue careers in field of science and engineering. His message to students, "Science and engineering lead to very rewarding work which directly impact and contribute to our communities. What better way is there to put an education to good use?"